Generally, pumped heat and energy storage (PHES) systems store electrical energy in the form of heat or thermal energy and subsequently generate electrical energy from the stored heat energy. Typically, in a conventional PHES system, a motor may utilize electrical energy to drive a heat pump cycle. The heat pump cycle may move thermal energy from a cold thermal storage reservoir to a hot thermal storage reservoir to thereby store the thermal energy. When desired, a heat engine cycle may be utilized to extract and convert the stored thermal energy to produce mechanical energy, which may be utilized to generate electrical energy. EP 3 255 265 A1 describes one example of a PHES system involving a conveyable solid thermal storage media. For readers interested in general background information regarding PHES systems, see Ph. D dissertation titled “Analysis and Optimisation of Thermal Energy Storage” by Joshua McTigue, St. Catharine's College, University of Cambridge, September 2016.